November 2018 Baja Bulletin

FMM Tourist Permit Reminder

A reminder that you still need to stop at the border to get your FMM stamped, even with the prepaid FMM tourist permits obtained through Discover Baja. The FMMs are good for multiple entry via land crossings for 180 days. They do not need to be returned at the end of the 180-day period (you can shred them). If you are flying out of Mexico, they will collect the FMM at the airport. See our FMM page for more information.

Free Copies of “Loreto: The Future of the First Capital of the Californias”

Stop by the Discover Baja office to pick up your complimentary copy of “Loreto: The Future of the First Capital of the Californias.” The book is free, but we ask that you make a small donation that will be given to Corazón de Vida. While you’re in the office, you can also peruse our selection of books, maps, charts, guides, t-shirts, Mata Ortiz pottery, and more! You can also shop our full 2019 gift guide online.

Giant Manta Rays Return to La Reina

After a 15 year absence, the giant manta rays have come back in strong numbers to La Paz. As the largest type of ray in the world, the giant manta can grow up to 23 feet across and weigh up to 6,600 pounds. The giant mantas can be found at the La Reina dive spot, a small outcrop of rocks north of Isla Cerralvo.

Score Baja 1000 – Nov. 14-18

The Score International Baja 1000 off road race will take place from November 14-18. This year the race will take the format of a single loop race, beginning and ending in Ensenada and going just south of Gonzaga Bay. The full course map can be seen here. If you have plans to travel in the area at the time, make sure you have advance hotel reservations.

Baja Passings

Abelardo “Rod” Rodriguez, creator of Rancho Las Cruces, passed away on his 100th birthday. As a pilot, he was the original Baja pioneer and is attributed with starting the tourist industry in southern Baja with his hotel Rancho Las Cruces. He went on to found Hotel Palmilla in Cabo (now the One & Only Palmilla) as well as Hotel Hacienda in Cabo. He was the son of General Abelardo Rodríguez L. who was Governor of Baja California as well as interim President of Mexico from 1932-34 (and the namesake of Tijuana’s General Abelardo L. Rodríguez International Airport).

Bob Bisbee, the founder of the Bisbee’s Black & Blue fishing tournaments in Cabo passed away on June 14, 2018. Bisbee launched the Black & Blue Marlin Tournament in 1981 and the tournament has been run by three generations of the Bisbee family since then. There was a ceremony on October 22 with hundreds of people gathering to pay respects before Bisbee’s ashes were spread in the water at Land’s End.

Todos Santos Writers Workshop

The Todos Santos Writers Workshop will take place from February 2-9, 2019. Participants will enjoy craft workshops in the art of Fiction, Non-fiction, Memoir and Poetry for writers at all levels led by noted authors, editors, and publishing professionals. Short stories, poems and essays are read and critiqued by the workshop leaders in a participatory setting. Applicants are chosen based on writing samples submitted and a phone interview. Applicants choose one workshop–Fiction, Non-Fiction, Memoir, or Poetry–and attend 3-hour daily sessions each morning with their assigned instructor. Afternoons are reserved for writing, special seminars, or just exploring the town, its quiet roads, and spectacular beaches where whales frolic offshore and turtle hatchlings make a dash to the sea. DBTC members receive a 15% discount on tuition. Learn more.

2019 Gray Whale Trips

Join Baja Custom Tours for one of their 2019 whale watching trips! These all-inclusive 8 day/7 night trips will depart from San Diego and highlight some of the best attractions that the peninsula has to offer on the way to and from Guerrero Negro where you’ll experience the gray whales. Two separate February itineraries available. Learn More.

Join Baja Test Kitchen’s Baja Tasting Club

Are you interested in exploring Baja California’s culinary movement with like-minded foodies, wine lovers, and craft beer aficionados? Join the Baja Tasting Club, and be the first to know about discounted group tasting tours exploring Baja California’s gastronomy. Membership is free!

New Phone Number for HDI Claims

There’s a new phone number to call for HDI insurance claims: 477-710-4781. Members should log into their accounts and print a new copy of their policy so that they have a copy with the new claims phone number on it. As a reminder, in the case of a claim, you must call to report it before leaving Mexico!